1. Technical Field
The invention relates to telecommunications. More particularly, the invention relates to a telephone docking station for a personal digital assistant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A category of portable electronic device, referred to as a personal digital assistant (PDA) provides various productivity applications, such as a calendar and an address book, in a convenient, hand held form factor. Currently, one of the most popular PDAs is the Palm Pilot, manufactured by 3Com Corporation. PDA's also provide certain telecommunications functions through the use of a separate modem. Such modem may be an external device, as in the case of the Palm Pilot, a built in software modem as in the case of some palm size PCs, or it may be an internal PC card, as in the case of the Apple Newton, manufactured by Apple Computer Corporation. The telecommunications functions provided by a PDA when operated in conjunction with a modem can include the sending and receiving of email and access to computer networks, such as the Internet.
It is known to provide a modular computer system, such as would include a PDA, which may be docked to a base station to provide enhanced functionality, such as telecommunications capability. See, for example I. Levanon, Modular Computer System With Portable Travel Unit, U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,764 (Sep. 6, 1988); P. Hogdahl, Modular Computer System Having An Improved Docking Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,427 (Jul. 12, 1994); K. Yeh, Address Mapping Logic For Transferring Data Between A Peripheral Device of a Base Function Expander Unit and A Palmtop Computer As If the Peripheral Was A Peripheral of the Computer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,464 (Mar. 5, 1996); P. Hogdahl, W. Hart, C. Krallman, K. Shaw, Modular Computer System Having Self Contained Workslate Unit Detachably Coupled To Base Unit Including Keyboard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,992 (Nov. 23, 1993); A. Danielson, D. Durbin, Pocket Size Data Capture Unit With Processor and Shell Modules, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,947 (Nov. 21, 1995); A. Danielson, D. Durbin, Core Computer Processor Module, and Peripheral Shell Module Assembled To Form A Pocket Size Data Capture Unit, U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,614 (Jul. 13, 1993); K. Yeh, Method and Structure For Data Transfer Between A Standard Port of A Host Computer and A Custom Port of A Palmtop Computer Using A Docking Station, U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,495 (Sep. 9, 1997); D. Schultz, A. Danielson, A. Bunte, R. Sherman, R. Jaeager, Portable Dock ForA Portable Electronic Device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,471 (Jul. 1, 1997); T. Spalding, K. Kowal, J. Bleck, S. Wakefield, J. Thrailkill, Portable Computer with Docking Connector For Peripheral Devices, U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,645 (Feb. 16, 1993); D. Schultz, A. Danielson, A. Bunte, R. Sherman, R. Jaeger, Portable Electronic Device Docking system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,010 (Aug. 6, 1996); D. Kikinis, P.
Dornier, W. Seiler, Digital Assistant System Including A Host Computer With A Docking Bay for the Digital Assistant Wherein A Heat Sink I s Moved Into Contact with a Docked Digital Assistant for Cooling the Digital Assistant, U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,654 (Nov. 18, 1997); P. Davis, Recharging and Data Retrieval Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,943 (Oct. 1, 1991); K. Cargin, D. Boatwright, S. Kelly, W. Gibbs, Hand Held Computerized Data Collection Terminal with Rechargeable Battery Pack Sensor and Battery Power conservation, U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,456 (Feb. 11, 1997); P. Davis, Data Communication System with Adapter for Removable Coupling of Portable Data Terminals, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,555 (Apr. 29, 1997); E. Dials, D. Herring, A. Hodges, S Luglan, Computer System Having Cooperating Spring, Gear Tracks and Geared Dampers For Allowing A Drive Housing To Move Between Open and Closed Positions, U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,761 (Jan. 27, 1998); K. Cargin, R. Mahany, D. Durbin, D. Boatwright, S. Kelly, D. Schultz, W. Gibbs, Hand-Held Computerized Data Collection Terminals With Rechargeable Battery Pack Sensor and Battery Power Conservation, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,303 (May 7, 1996 P. Miller, R. Traeger, J. Kubler, K. Cargin, G. Hanson, P. Davis, D. Schultz, Data Communications System With Communicating and Recharging Docking Apparatus For Hand-Held Data Terminal, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,183 (Mar. 16, 1993); P. Miller, S. Koenck, J. Walter, J. Kubler, K. Cargin, G. Hanson, P. Davis, S. Kunert, D. Schultz, Data Capture System With Communicating and Recharging Docking Apparatus, and Modular Printer and Hand-Held Data Terminal Means Cooperable Therewith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,580 (Jul. 19, 1994 D. Schultz, A. Danielson, R. Jaeger, A. Bunte, R. Sherman, Terminal and Docking Mechanism With Open Channel Members and Guide Rollers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,382 (Apr. 18, 1995); W. Goodman, C. Hattan, J. Sherman, P. Wormsbecher, Docking Station For A Portable Computer With A Hinged Support Frame and Movable Receptacle Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,782 (May 27, 1997); and E. Flint, J. Karidis, G. McVicker, W. Pence, A cartridge-based design for portable and fixed computers, European Patent Application No. EP0722138.
It is also known to provide various form factors and features for a telephone. See, for example D. Kikinis, P. Dornier, Smart Phone, U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,920 (May 27, 1997) and Ascom Carry, Dacon Electronics PLC (copyright PSion PLC 1997).
With regard to the smart phone disclosed in the O920 patent, a substantial cost of manufacture is encountered in producing the telephone, for example in providing the electronics and software necessary to implement the various intelligent features offered by the telephone's design. While such smart phone is able to accommodate a device, such as a PDA, in a cutaway slot, such that the telephone allows operation of various features of the PDA in connection with operation of the telephone, the PDA typically operates under control of the smart phone, much like a peripheral device, and does not operate or control the smart phone itself.
With regard to the Ascom Carry device, a sidecar type adapter is provided that connects a PDA (in this case, a Psion PDA) to a smart telephone, such that the smart telephone can use the address book feature of the PDA. Thus, only Is limited functionality of the PDA is used by the smart telephone. Such telephone itself is an expensive and complicated electronic device. The Ascom Carry device is limited to expensive, already-smart PBX telephones which have an external port. It has no modem and is limited to controlling telephony functions, no Internet functionality Is possible.
Also known is a dedicated "Web phone," such as the iphone, manufactured by Cidco, or the Nokia 9000. While these devices are very well integrated, they are expensive and provide all or nothing" functionality (i.e. they are not adapted to exploit the functionality of an outboard device, such as a PDA, but rather must include full functionality for performing all "Web" functions).
Thus, in the prior art it is known to dock a first expensive and complicated electronic device, e.g. the PDA, with a second expensive and complicated electronic device, e.g. the smart telephone, to allow the smart telephone to access information, typically in the form of address book entries, contained in the PDA. Certain limited use of the PDA's display may also be made, as with the Ascom Carry device.
It would be advantageous to provide a simple docking arrangement in conjunction with a basic telephone circuit that could exploit all of the resident intelligence of a PDA in connection with such telephone circuit without having to duplicate such intelligence in the telephone itself. It would be further advantageous to provide a docking arrangement that readily receives any PDA; that includes software resident on the PDA that implements any desired communications function, such as the receipt and transmission of email, the ability to access an electronic network, such as the Internet, e.g. to browse the World Wide Web; that provides a convenient means to use various custom local area signaling services (CLASS); and that exploits the programmable computer system inherent in the PDA, while simplifying the communications hardware required by the docking element, i.e. the telephone, of the arrangement.